Engine oil is a very necessary element for the proper operation and lubrication of an automobile engine. Thus, each automobile has a means or an access opening through which an operator may replenish the engine oil when it falls below a certain level. The means (or orifice) is referred to herein as the oil filler access or opening.
Most commonly, the oil filler opening is provided directly to an interior portion of the engine, though the opening may also be provided to an oil reservoir or other container/flow path which leads to the engine. When the oil filler opening leads directly to the interior of the engine, the oil filler access or opening is usually located at a top portion of the engine, such as at or near the top of the engine block or an associated component of the engine, such as a valve cover, and a removable cap is used to provide a pressure seal during normal engine operation. The removable cap also prevents oil from splashing all over the engine compartment when the engine is running.
In most cases, the configuration of the removable cap is dependent on the automobile engine manufacturer and design. Thus, there could exist almost as many different oil filler caps as there are different makes of automobile engines.
FIG. 1 is an illustration of an automobile engine with an oil filler access or opening. As illustrated, access hole 101 is the oil filler access or opening for engine oil replenishment. As indicated above, the access or opening may be provided directly in a portion of the engine or an associated reservoir or the like, and in the case of an automobile, is generally located in the engine compartment. FIG. 2 is an illustration of a prior art oil filler cap configuration for the engine compartment. Oil filler cap 200 is generally configured to cover the oil filler access 101 of FIG. 1. Thus, in normal operation, oil filler cap 200 couples snugly with oil filler access 101 as illustrated in FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 is an illustration of the prior art oil filler cap installed in place in the engine compartment for normal operation. As illustrated, the oil filler cap and access is generally at the top of the engine and conveniently placed such that any person capable of operating a vehicle can replenish the engine oil with ease. The cap is normally removable by hand to facilitate oil replenishment.
As indicated, because lubricating oil is such a basic necessity for operation of an automobile engine, it is necessary for operators to be capable of easily checking and replenishing the engine oil. Engine oil may be depleted in various ways, including evaporation and burning along with fuel during engine operation. When engine oil levels are too low, insufficient lubrication of moving parts occurs, which may lead to severe engine damage. Thus, most automobile manufacturers ensure that the oil filler access or opening is conveniently located for ease of determination of engine oil level and replenishment as necessary. The configurations are such that most drivers are capable of checking the engine oil of their automobile and topping off the oil when it falls below a recommended level.
Thus, most manufacturers recommend that drivers check their oil level regularly, such as each time they refuel their vehicle, i.e., at the gas (petrol) station. The procedure usually requires checking the engine oil level with a dipstick and if the level is below the manufacturer's recommended level, removing the oil filler cap and topping off the oil back to the manufacturer's recommended level. And finally, replacing the oil filler cap. Unfortunately, due to absentmindedness or some distraction (e.g. cell phones), some operators forget to replace the oil filler cap after replenishing the engine oil. Therefore, as they drive away from the gas station, the oil filler cap falls off and is lost.
The operator or owner of the vehicle is then forced to purchase a replacement oil filler cap. These filler caps may be very expensive especially depending on the make and manufacture of the vehicle. For instance, the owner of a Mercedes Benz automobile may pay several times more for an oil filler cap than the owner of a Hyundai automobile.
Another significant problem associated with replenishing engine oil is spillage. Engine oil is commonly changed every 3,000 miles, or two months, requiring the addition of fresh oil, typically five quarts, one at a time. Compared with simply checking the oil level and topping off, replacing the oil with five one-quart containers provides five times the opportunity for spillage if no funnel is used.
Lubricating oil is commonly provided in quart-sized containers having an opening through which the oil may be dispensed. This requires the user to invert the container in order to pour or dispense the oil from the container into the oil filler access opening. In this process, it is very common for oil from the container to spill on the engine block or other components of the engine, such as the exhaust manifold, depending on the design of the engine.
The spilled oil may simply become a magnet for dusts thus resulting in the engine compartment becoming unsightly. The spilled oil may damage sensitive components, such as electronic components. The spilled oil may also create a hazard. For example, oil that spills on the exhaust manifold may burn when the engine compartment heats up thus creating unwanted smoke and odor in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Therefore, to prevent oil spill, some owners and mechanics use an external funnel to direct oil into the oil filler access opening. The funnel is generally a separate device that is not part of the automobile, and thus is stored externally, e.g., in the garage.
Therefore, a need exists for a more convenient and effective means for replenishing engine oil, including addressing problems such as those described above.